Young Chinese gymnasts find their international rhythm at Beijing showpiece

As the nation's young stars shone brightly under the lights of an Olympic venue, the Beijing leg of the Rhythmic Gymnastics World Challenge Cup series has proved a resounding success, with the integration of athletic power and artistic beauty captivating the Chinese crowd.

The World Challenge Cup series, the second-tier circuit of World Gymnastics, capped off a successful inaugural edition in Beijing on Sunday at the National Indoor Stadium, where a young Chinese squad tested itself against strong international rivals, staging an entertaining showcase of the rhythmic discipline.

Cheered on by an enthusiastic home crowd at the NIS, a venue built for the 2008 Olympic Games, the Chinese squad claimed four gold and four silver medals from a total of eight events — all-around for both individuals and groups, four individual and two group apparatuses — to top the eventual medal table after three days of competition.

The discipline's global powerhouse Russia split its haul of golds with the host by winning all four individual apparatus titles, cementing its world-class status going into the new Olympic cycle for the 2028 Los Angeles Games.

After opening the Beijing showpiece with two all-around titles on Saturday, the reshuffled Chinese squad has proved it remains a force to be reckoned with collectively by winning two more group titles from the five-balls and three-hoops-and-two-clubs events on Sunday.

Going head-to-head with strong competitors from Russia, Belarus and Uzbekistan, young Chinese gymnasts, such as 15-year-old individual all-around winner Wang Qi, impressed with the stable execution of their routines and distinctive choreography, which convinced fans that the squad will remain a strong contender at LA28, despite a trio of retirements following the Paris Games in 2024, where Team China won the country's first Olympic gold medal in rhythmic gymnastics from the all-around group event.

Wang, representing the new generation of Chinese talent, said the team is ready to perform on a bigger global stage.

"I think I did a good job in my overall execution, and I just need to work on some of the details," said Wang, who made her senior international debut earlier this year.

"I am going to try to improve my performance one step at a time, and try to do my country proud on the international stage."

It was the first time in the 18 years since the 2008 Olympics that Beijing has hosted an international rhythmic gymnastics event. Nevertheless, the meticulous organization and world-class facilities in the Chinese capital earned high praise from athletes, coaches and team officials from across the world.

The World Challenge Cup series will travel to Cluj-Napoca, Romania, this coming weekend, before the rhythmic world championships take place in Germany in August.